Chemical wastes are often retained in vessels, pools or ponds in concentrations which are toxic to microorganisms. Often microorganisms are able to degrade the wastes at lower concentrations. However, indigenous microorganisms, capable of such metabolism, are in small populations due to the acute toxicity of the material to the organisms.
Nutrient addition, pH adjustment, air-stripping, or dilution have been suggested as methods for increasing microbial degradation of such toxic materials. However, these methods have met with limited success. Nutrient addition and pH adjustment appear to have little effect on microbial activity. Air-stripping tends to release the toxic materials into the air. Dilution has the effect of creating a larger volume of toxic material.
There exists a need to biodegrade toxic materials held in concentrations normally incompatible with microorganism viability. Biodegradation allows such materials to be permanently removed from the environment.